


The Night has Eyes

by TheScorpionSleeps



Category: Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Adventure, Family, Horror, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-30
Updated: 2013-07-01
Packaged: 2017-12-16 16:16:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/864028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheScorpionSleeps/pseuds/TheScorpionSleeps
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'Just cause they were tough, stubborn, foul-mouthed rednecks... Didn't mean they didn't care' Starts before the TV series and then joins in on the fun, rated M for language and content, its a zombie apocalypse after all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Pilot

**Author's Note:**

  * For [In loving memory of Diddy](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=In+loving+memory+of+Diddy).



Fucking hell.

Those things just wouldn't quit – Thankfully they weren't very fast either, hell if they had been, she'd be all kinds of screwed.

Panting heavily she broke through the thick vegetation, scratches on her arms and face indicating that she'd been going through it for awhile. She wasn't completely desperate though, no falling-on-your-knees- clasping- your -hands -together- praying -for -Jesus -to -come -and -save -you, desperate anyways.

Ammo was out, her legs were giving out and that Swiss army knife was a toothpick of a thing, there was no way she would be able to get at the brain with a tiny blade like that. Something else that was coming in short supply was her flight instinct; instead she was getting more and more pissed off. Here she was, running like a god damn animal – And from what?

Decaying corpses… 

Well alright maybe running hadn't been such a bad idea the first day around, but now, going in on her second day of running; she was sick of it. Catching her breath against a tree she made a quick check over her shoulder, nothing in sight, didn't mean they weren't after her, but it meant she could at least get some much needed air down into her burning lungs. Her rifle was slung over her shoulder, much use it did her now – To be fair she'd been an idiot wasting her ammo like she had.

Coming across the abandoned car she had, for a moment, though she'd hit jackpot. Instead as she was rounding the old ford she had come upon a family, complete with ma and pa munching away on their baby girl. Shit, the girl couldn't have been more than ten years old and so she had drawn her rifle and shot both mommy and daddy dearest in the head, the shots echoing around her – Drawing those disease-bearing poxy bastards her way.

Don't regret it though.

Fighting the urge to just sink down in the dirt and be done with it, she took another raspy breath, pulled the rifle from her shoulder and started running. She could hear them now, following her through the vegetation of the forest, wasn't hard – Bastards made a ruckus. Most of them anyways, the one in the corner of her eye had snuck up on her and seeing its face, jaw torn of and tongue hanging down she almost tripped over herself. As luck would have it she stayed upright and regained her bearing as the corpse closed the distance between them, letting out a curse she lifted her rifle and skewered the barrel through its head.

Disgusted as she was she watched the corpse fall to the ground and stomped her boot on its head, if it had been dead before – Now it was really, really, dead. Searching her surroundings she picked up four more walkers coming her way, best thing to do was keep on moving and that- …

Was that a car coming?


	2. Hope in the form of rednecks

'Presume not that I am the thing I was…'

A car… Coming or going?

"FUCK!" Swinging the rifle over her shoulder again she tried to make out where it was coming from, was she that close to a road then salvation might be just around the corner. There was only one problem with being picked up in the middle of nowhere – well, four. Peering over her shoulder she saw that the walkers were still coming, was to be expected, not like they had anything better to do then try and tear into her flesh. Did she look like a walking, talking buffet? Bastards.

Pushing through more vegetation her braid got stuck, twigs from a small tree clinging to it and just wouldn't let go, more curses left her mouth as she took hold of the braid at the back of her head and pulled, tearing it free, losing hair and skin in the process – together with the last of her temper. She tilted her face up, glaring at what little sky she could see through the trees of the forest.

Is that how it's going to be? Well bring it on!

By now she had lost what little distance she'd put between herself and the walkers, they were so close that her gagging reflex was kicking in, the smell was abhorrent. Letting her feet carry her she dashed away as fast as she could, mentally checking herself for what she would have to do. The walkers were a problem for her in more ways than one, nobody – Nobody on God's green earth was going to stop and let her hitch a ride with walkers swarming around. The rifle wasn't going to cut it this time, not against four of them and so as she ran she searched her surroundings, coming across a larger branch lying in the dirt, it was long and it was thick, stable.

Wrapping her fingers around it she pulled to pick it up – Coming up short. It appeared to be stuck. Mentally she was waving a white flag towards the heavens.

Alright! Alright, you win!

After another few tugs the branch admitted defeat and she was able to lift it, swinging it around she struck one of the walkers in the chest making it fall to the ground. Now, fitted with a new weapon she could feel herself smirk, swinging the branch again she connected with another walkers head, sending it tumbling to the ground. All the while she was backing up, making small circles so that they couldn't come at her from behind – Seen that happen in too many horror movies, would be embarrassing to have it happen to her.

"Come on!" Lashing out with the branch she managed to hold them at bay and as one of the walkers opened its mouth, snarling at her in all its rotting glory, she plunged the tip of the branch through its mouth. Pushing the walker down in the dirt she lifted her weapon and plunged it down again only to scramble away quickly, barely avoiding one of the walkers grabby hands.

"Come on! Come on you sewer-smelling motherfuckers!" Battering at the three walkers left standing she didn't pay attention to the car that had stopped some distance away, or the two men that were currently watching her little dance with the undead. One swing with the branch seemed to break one of the walkers legs and it fell, clawing at the grass, trying to make its way to her. Her breath and heartbeat was like a thunderstorm in her head, if her breathing had been bad before, merely running, she was now breathing like an elephant. As pissed off as she was, she could feel her strength leaving her, swinging the branch yet again she almost dropped it; it was like lead in her hands – Fucking heavy.

Defiance.

A growl erupted from her throat and she screamed out as she tackled one of the walkers, brining her knee's to pin its arms she started bashing the branch into the rotting shell that was its head, in a matter of two or three strikes the head was so dented it looked like a deflated football. With a ragged breath she turned to the last walker – last one standing anyhow.

"You want some of this?! Come and get it bitch!" As she raised the branch, her arms shaking by its weight an arrow sunk into the walkers right eye socket. Instinctively she stumbled backwards and fell to the ground, hitting the ground ass first; the branch lying forgotten at her side. With her eyes wide as saucers she turned to stare in the direction the arrow had come from, the first thing she noticed was the pickup truck – Later she would berate herself for not zooming in on the redneck with the huge crossbow. Survival and all.

"Hey! Yah gonna sit there like a dumb bitch? Git!"

Salvation.

Scrambling to her feet she made sure to walk well around the walker still dragging itself across the ground, trying to get to her. Her hand went to pull the strap of her rifle up on her shoulder and that was when the man with the crossbow caught her attention, probably for the fact that he had it pointed at her – Not the walker. He had jumped off the back of the truck and was standing some feet away, gaze travelling over her from head to toe. Well she must look a picture, her braided hair a bird nest on her head, compliments to a few certain twigs. She knew without looking that her shirt was shredded and bloody; hanging off her like rags. Having spent two days on the run, she could only imagine what sort of dirt and grime covered her.

"I aint bit-" Lifting her hands in the air she continued. "And it aint loaded." At that Mr. Crossbow narrowed his eyes and looked over at the man behind the wheel, the one that had called her over. He was snickering under his breath, shaking his head from side to side.

"Well then sugertits, hop on in." To say that she didn't spare a second thinking it over was not true, but what choice did she have. More walkers were coming; she was dead tired – Haha, very funny. And they hadn't shot at her or tried dragging her into the truck by force. Opening the door she lifted herself up in the seat and winched slightly as she did but slammed the door shut all the same, and turned her attention to the man behind the wheel as Mr. Crossbow jumped up on the bed of the truck. "Appreciate yall's help."

"Oh couldn't leave such a pretty little lady all in her lonesome now could I?" He snickered again, a grin spreading over his lips. Turning the key in the ignition he pulled the clutch and got the truck moving, when she noticed what he was steering for she raised an eyebrow but remained quiet. The sound that followed, disgusting as it was relaxed her, the truck made a bump as it drove over and squashed the walkers head under the tires – That was one way of getting the job done.

"So, the little lady got a name, eh?" Blue eyes looked her over before meeting her gray ones and she raised her eyebrow again, making the man chuckle. "Yah call me Merle sugertits, that's Darylina back there keeping an eye on my bike" He gave a nod back at Mr. Crossbow.

Brothers? Had to be… 

"Cassidy Forster."


	3. Bunking down

'The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have many promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep…'

There had been a relaxing silence in the truck for awhile, Cassidy had always found it incredibly stupid to engage in conversation with someone behind the wheel of… - Well anything. The kind of people that talked on their cell while driving? Lunatics. Not that that would be a problem anymore, survival didn't really peg on the latest app or texting.

"Going someplace in particular?" They had been following the same road for two hours before she spoke up glancing over at Merle, even if it hadn't been for the bike on the bed of the truck he still had biker written all over him, boots, faded jeans and a cut – Surprisingly without colors, no indication to where he was from. Close cropped grey hair and a face that had been around, seen everything – Done everything.

"Yah in a hurry sweetlips?" At that Cassidy shook her head. "Not really, there was talk of Atlanta in the news, on the radio bu-" Merle laughed out, hitting the steering wheel. "Oh yeah, all them people packed into the city. Nah girl, yah just sit tight. Ol' Merle will take care of yah."

After that there wasn't much else to say, never having been the sort of person that needed to keep up conversation, Cassidy simply turned and leaned against the window of the truck, watching the scenery go by. When her mind started wandering she made a clear point to stay well away from home and family – No point brining that up, wouldn't help anybody. It wasn't until she felt a pair of eyes on her that she realized she was fiddling around with her Swiss army knife, extracting the blade and clipping it shut with a snap – rinse and repeat.

"Didn't realize…" Tucking it away in her pocket Cassidy gave Merle a smile. "Yah nervous 'bout somethin' sugertits?" His voice was different, his eyes hard as flint and she understood the mistake she'd just made. He was thinking she was afraid of being in the truck with him, having all sorts of ideas to what he might get up to with her and so she'd taken out her knife to maybe try and intimidate him.

Nice going, piss him off why dontcha.

"Didn't mean to appear disrespectful, I lost my lighter… So I fiddle with that instead" A poor excuse for letting her mind wander, not paying attention –But true none the less. She had lost her lighter and it had been her favorite pass time, fiddling around with it.

As if to test her, prove to himself that what she had said was bullcrap. Merle reached out towards her, expecting her to flinch away and huddle back in the corner as far away from him as she could. Instead she just sat there, looking at him with them big storm cloud eyes of hers. So he reached and plucked a twig out of her hair, glancing back at the road and then back at Cassidy, seeing her smiling of all things.

"Hair must look like a birds nest, I got in a fight with this tree see." Merle smirked and tossed the twig out the window. "Aint yar mama ever told yah not tah go picking fights?"

"Nah, she told me to always be the last one standin'…" Cassidy grinned slightly, the memories she had of her mother were fond ones. Ann Forster had been a heavy lady and sweet as a peach, until you made the mistake of picking on her kids – Then she was like a mama bear with her cubs.

"Never thought I'd be glad 'bout her dying before all of this, but I am." Gazing out the window Cassidy could feel Merle's eyes on her. "I'm glad she never got to see this shit…"

xxx

As they stopped to make camp for the night Mr. Crossbow - Or Darlina as Merle called him seemed to take charge; getting things off the bed of the truck, pulling a spread over the bike and doing inventory. When Cassidy asked if there was anything to be done, he gave her a glare and a grunt and so she shrugged and let him be. Having pulled off her backpack, setting it aside with the brothers things she slung her rifle over her shoulder and went about gathering firewood – The rifle may not have any ammo left, but it sure as hell made her feel safer then the tiny pocket knife she was carrying.

Upon getting back to their makeshift camp she started on making the fire, for once being thankful that they were still surrounded by tree's and hills – Still she made the fire small, relying on the luck that nothing would see a larger fire was a sure way of getting eaten. Much as she missed her lighter, matches were a lifesaver in themselves and soon there was a warming fire crackling away in the center of their little camp.

Cassidy had noticed tent supplies and cots earlier when Daryl was moving around their things, but the brothers hadn't made an effort in setting any of it up, only Merle was sitting in a camping chair, Daryl sat on the ground cleaning his arrows. Rummaging through her backpack she pulled up a portion of dried jerky, tearing a piece she leaned over, offering it up to Merle – Only to notice the flint was back in his blue eyes.

Careful.

"Nah girl, but I know some other way yah can thank me." While speaking he pulled his hand down his stomach and under his belt, smirking as he saw Cassidy following his hand with her eyes.

"Look… Merle," Putting down the jerky she brought her knee's up, resting her forearms on them. "I am grateful – Just not that kind of grateful." Her tone wasn't harsh, nor was she looking at the brothers in disgust or fear. There was a calmness about how she carried herself that spoke volume; she'd been in similar situations before.

Daryl had been silent throughout, hardly looking up from his work, Merle however didn't back down.  
"Well sugertits, maybe yah should have thought 'bout that before climbing up in my truck." Daryl gave a grunt, but as to what Cassidy wasn't sure and so she started picking under her fingernail while studying Merle – His hand still tucked under his belt.

Don't take the bait.

"It was stupid of me… Not to think it through." Merle started to smirk but it quickly faded as Cassidy continued. "Thanks for setting me straight."

Across the fire Daryl's head snapped up and for a second his blue eyes held surprise as he looked at her and then he ducked his head down. Her reply was clearly not what Merle had expected either; catching him looking at her Cassidy offered him a smile.

" My brothers would have flogged me alive for doin' somethin' like that." It had clicked with her moments before, he was trying to scare her, make her think twice about the situation she'd put herself in. There was no malice behind it and by the surprised looks she had got from both of them, most people didn't see past the scare tactic – They didn't see past appearances, they just assumed the worst.

Not wanting to lose what little insight in the two brothers she had gained; by pissing them off she took the piece of jerky she'd torn off and plucked it between her lips, tossing the rest of the pack towards Merle and then started to nibble on her dinner – Watching the embers of the fire glow, casting shadows all around them.

Mentioning her brothers had put her in the same state of mind it always did, guilt, regret and anger boiled up inside of her. Being around two brothers didn't make her think less of her own, it made it harder for her to stop and she berated herself for it.

Like pouring salt into an open wound.

Cassidy heard how Merle muttered and moved about on his camping chair and then the sound of him tearing into the jerky and tossing some over to Daryl, they sat there around the campfire and for a moment it felt almost normal. No apocalypse, no walkers – Just three people on a hike, settling in for the night


End file.
